Bag applying machine



May, 1958 J. c; PETREA E'rAx. 2,833,097

BAG APPLYING MACHINE Original Filed March l0, 1955 INVENTORS James CPeea/ JMS I? HWI/61:71'.

5 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS lum May 6, 1958 J. c. PETREA Erm. 2,833,097

BAG APPLYING MACHINE original Filed March 1o, 1955 5 sheets-sheet 2 Fi-7.a'.

VACUUM H VERTICAL 8 POINT GENEVA' TRIP CAM MAGAZINE PIVOT CAM VALVE CAMY INVENTORS Y Wg, I'. wm/m ATTORNEYS May 6,l 1958 J. c. PE1-REA ETAL2,833,097

BAG APPLYING MACHINE original Filed March 1o, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 3INVENTORS dw A P2M/f au n) May 5, 1958 J. c. PE1-REA Erm. 2,833,097

' BAG APPLYING MACHINE original Filed Maron 1o, 1955 5 sheets-sheet 4INVENTORS James Pel'e@ Jaz/zes ffm/#6,@

ATTORNEL'S' May 6, 1958 J. c. PETREA Erm,

BAG APPLYING MACHINE Original Filed March l0, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 5ATTORNEYS l United States Patent O BAG APPLYING MACHINE James C. Petreaand James W. Howe, Jr., Durham, N. C.,

assignors, by mesne assignments, to Sperry Rand Corporation, acorporation of Delaware Original application March 10, 1955, Serial No.493,505.

Divided and this application March 5, 1957, Serial .t

1s claims. (ci. ss-lss) and applyingv mechanism, and novel means forclamping and opening a bag on the material delivery chute of a bagtilling machine or the like.

In general, the machine shown and described herein includes a turretstructure driven intermittently to position material delivery chutes,arranged on the periphery thereof, sequentially at successivepredetermined stations. The machine includes a magazine for holding astack of lattened bags to be lled and a gripper mechanism adapted tocyclically grip the foremost bag of the stack, withdraw it from themagazine and slip the open end of the bag over the end of a materialdelivery chute at the bag applying station and to then trip a bagclamping mechanism to securely clamp the bag to the chute for supportduring the bag filling operation at a subsequent v station. The machinealso includes air delivery means to direct a stream of air into a bagbeing applied to the filling machine to assist in opening the bag and tothereafter, direct a stronger blast of air into the bag at a subsequentstation to billow the bag to fully opened condition. The machineincludes a drive means for intermittently rotating the turret carryingthe chutes and for operating the bag gripping and applying mechanism intimed relation thereto. The machine further includes constantly drivenmechanism for vibrating the bags and their supporting means during andafter the filling operation and means thereafter releasing the bags fordelivery to a conveyor or the like.

While the drawings and description herein are directed to a combinedmachine including both the bag supporting turret and the bag applyingmechanism, it is to be understood that the invention is not limitedthereto but that the novel features of the bag applying mechanism may beincorporated in a separate machine adapted to be used in conjunctionwith a similar or other bag filling mechamsm.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a bag applyingmechanism adapted to apply a bag to a material guiding chute andthereafter effect clamping of -the bag to the chute.

to facilitate application of the bag over a supporting structure. f t

,It is still another object of this invention'to providea novelsuction-operated gripper'for a at bag to effect the abvyenotedobjective. s, f

`A further object of this invention is to provide a novel actuatingmechanism for moving and guiding a bag gripper in a cyclical manner towithdraw successive bags from a magazine and sequentially apply them tosuccessive bag supporting devices.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a bag handlingapparatus having a novel form of bag holding magazine.

Another further object of this invention is to provide a novel bagholding magazine having a movable front wall and means to move that walloutwardly in timed relation to withdrawal of a bag therefrom.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a novel arrangementfor applying and partially opening a flattened bag.

Another additional object of this invention is to provide a novelmethodof gripping a flattened bag and applying the same to a bag supportingdevice.

Further and additional objects and advantages will become apparent tothose skilled in the art as the description proceeds with reference tothe accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective View of a bag applying and filling machineembodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the machine shown in Fig. l butWith certain parts shown in section;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan View of the machine of Fig. l;

Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary side views, with parts shown in section,of a portion of the bag applying mechanism and bag iilling machineshowing the parts thereof in successive positions during a bag-applyingcycle;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional View taken substantially along theline 6 6 of Fig. 4, but on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along theline 7-7 of Fig. 2 and showing particularly the front of the bag holdingmagazine;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view through the suction gripper ofthe present invention showing the manner of operation thereof to foldthe front wall of the bag;

Fig. 9 is a face view of the suction gripper of Fig. 8, as v viewedalong theline 9-9 of Fig. 8; and y Fig. l0 is a timing diagram showingthe sequence of operation of the principal cams and driving elements ofthe machine.

Referring first to Figs. l vand 2, the machine comprises a base housingA having suitable drive mechanism housed therein and which will ,bedescribed in detail later. The housing A supports a turret B of a bagiilling machine, a bag holding magazine C, and bag applying mechanism D.The drive mechanism in the housing A includes 'means for cyclicallyoperating the bag applying mechanism D to be described in more detaillater. The turret B and its associated mechanisms is similar in manyrespects to the corresponding turret shown and fully described in thepatent to Petrea, 2,691.476, and dated October l2, 1954. Itis to beunderstood that the bag applying mechanism of the present invention maybe constructed as a separate machine and used in conjunction with thebag lilling machine of said Patent 2,691,476 or other similar machines.

The housing A is provided with a supporting boss 2 on its upper wallwhich secures a tubular support 4 in fixed relation to the housing A. Asuitable drive motor 6 (Fig. 2) is mounted in the housing A and isprovided with an output sprocket 8 driving a sprocket chain 10.

housing A. The sprocket wheel on cam shaft 16 is not fixed thereto butis connected to the driving member of a Patented May 6, 1958 suitablel-revolutiou clutch, the driven member of which is xed to the cam shaft16.` yThe l-revolution clutch is not shown or described herein since itmay be any conventional or well-knownclutch of that type suitable forthe purpose, but is preferably provided with solenoid operated means totrip the clutch for one cycle of operation.

The shaft 14 drives, through bevel gears. 18, to a vertical shaft (seealso Fig. l) extending upwardly through the top of the housing Alaterally of the tubular support 4. At its upper end the shaft 20carries a pinion 22 (see Fig. 3) meshing with a gear 24' journalled onthe outer surface of the'tubularpsupport 4'. The gear 24 has a vibratorplate 26 fixed thereto and provided with an upstanding annularperipheral edge 28, the upper edge of which is of wavy or undulatingconfiguration. Thus the vibrator plate 26 is continuously driven inrotation about the axis of the `tubular support 4.

A turret hub 30 (Fig. 2) is journalled about the upper end of thetubular support 4' and supports a plurality of hoppers 32,cireumferentially spaced tberearound. Each of the hoppers 32 is mountedonan arm structure 34 pivotally supported at its inner end on the turrethub 30 inthe manner fully described in Patent No. 2,691,476. Each of thearms 34 is provided with a roller 36 journalled thereon directly overthe undulating edge 28 of the vibrator plate 26. The spacing of theundulations on the edge 28 is such that one of the rollers 36 rests on acrest of the flange 2S while an adjacent roller lies in a trough betweencrests. Since motor 6 continuously drives the shaft 20 and vibratorplate 26, rotation of the latter 'relative to the turret 30 and arms 34will cause the latter to vibrate vertically and adjacent arms 34 andtheir associated hoppers 32 vibrate in out-of-phase relation to eachother. That is, when one hopper is at its highest point, an adjacenthopper is at its lowest point.

The cam shaft 16, which is intermittently driven through thel-revolution clutch, drives through bevel gears 38 to a shaft 40 havinga Geneva driver 42 fixed to its lower end. The Geneva driver 42 drives aGeneva gear 44 fixed to the lower end of a shaft 46 extending upwardlythrough the tubular support 4. Adjacent its upper end the shaft 46extends through the central portion of turret hub 30 and is keyedthereto by means of a through-pin 48. Thus every time shaft 16 rotatesthrough one revolution, the Geneva gear 44 .and turret 30 are. driventhrough one rotational step. Since there are eight hoppers on the turret30 to be successively positioned at each station of the machine, eachactuation of theGeneva gear causes the shaft 46 and turret 30 to turn.through As of one complete turn and the turret remains stationarythereafter until the l-revolution clutch is again tripped for anothercycle of operation.

A `generally circular horizontal plate 50 is fixed to supporting tube 4immediately below the gear 24 and is thus held in fixed position on themachine. The plate 50 is providedV with an upstanding flange 52throughout a portion of its periphery, which flange extends upwardlyabove the upper surface of the crests on the vibrator flange 28. Theupstanding flange 52 extends circumferentially about the periphery ofthe plateV 50 through the bag discharging and bag applyingand openingstations of the machine to engage and support the rollers 36 free of thevibrator attthose stations. Thus continuous rotation of the vibratorflange 28 will have no effect on lthe rollers 36 and their associatedhoppers 32 locatedy -at those particular stations.

The cam shaft 16 is provided withja plurality of cams to be describedlater and the housing A has mounted there 54 is supported from a rockshaft 56 'having an arm` 58 fixed thereto. VA suitable adjustable springmeans 60 urges the brake shoe :'34 against the `periphery of its `cam toresist coasting of the cam shaft 16after disengagement of the one-wayclutch. In effect vthe brake 54 holds the turret in its successivelyindexed positions withI the hoppers 32 at the required stations. TheGeneva driver 42 and Geneva gear 44 are of conventional constructionincluding the usual interengaging means to lock the gear 44 againstrotation between driving cycles.

The bag-holding magazine C comprises a bracket struc ture 62 (Figs. 2, 3and 7) mounted on the upper wall of the housing A and having upstandingside portions 64. A'

guide rod 66 extends between the upstanding portions 64 at the inner orforward ends thereof. A rear guide rod 68extends across the spacebetween the portions 64 and the'guide rods 66 and 68 slidingly supportside walls 70 of the bag magazine. The sidewalls 70 are preferably oftransparent material mounted on supporting plates 72 (see also Fig. l)having transverse bearings 74 thereon slidably mounted on the respectiveguide rods 66 and 68. Between the-guide rods 66 and 68 a transverseadjusting screw 76'is mounted for rotation in` one of the upstandingAportions 64 of the bracket 62 and threadedly engages each of thesupporting plates 72. The portion of the adjusting screw engaging onesupporting plate 72 is of opposite hand from that portion of the screwengaging the other supporting plate whereby rotation of the screw 76causes the supporting plates, and consequently the side walls 70 of themagazine to move toward or away from each other along the guide rods 66and 68 to effect width adjustment to accommodate bags of differentwidths. The arrangement is such that both side walls 70 are always equaldistances from the longitudinal center `line of the magazine. A handwheel 78 is fixed to the adjusting screw 76 on the outer side of theupstanding portion 64 in which the screw 76 is journalled whereby thescrew may be manually turned to readily adjust the widthof the magazine.

The rear central portion of the bracket structure 62 is provided with agenerally vertical socket 8.0.(sce Fig. 2) slidably receiving a rod 82.A hand screw 84 is threaded through the bracket structure in position toengage the rod 82 to lock the same in any selected position of verticaladjustment in the socket 80. At its upper end the rod 82 carries a block86 fixed thereto and to the sides of which bag supporting rails 88 arefixed. The bag `supporting rails are provided with upper. edges ofdownwardly and forwardly curved configuration to engage and support thebottom of a stack of bags arranged in the magazine between the sidewalls 70. The upper edges of the rails 88, engaging the bags at spacedpoints, offer very little frictional resistance to gravity feed of thestack of bags toward the front end of the magazine.

Referring now to Fig. 7, the front edge portions of thc side walls ofthe magazine support inwardly extending ears 90, extending a shortdistance inwardly of the inner faces of the side walls 70 adjacenttheupper edge of the magazine and one of the side walls 70 supports atransverse bracket 92 to which a guide finger 94 is adjustably xedwhereby the guide finger may be positioned centrally of the magazineinany position of adjustment of the side walls 70. The guide finger 94is so directed that when` the foremost bag of a stack is withdrawn fromthe front of the magazine and carried upwardly, it is deflected by theguide finger 94 toward the wall of an adjacent bag supporting chute (seealso Fig. 2). The side walls 70 of the magazine further support holddown lingers 96 (see also Fig. 2) to insure that the tops of all bags inthe magazine are positioned at the same level as the supply of bagsmoves forwardly.

A rock shaft 98 isjournalled at its ends in the upstanding portions 64of the bracket structure 62 .and held in centralized `positiontherebetween by collars 100 (Fig. 7). An arm 102 is fixed to the rockshaft 98 and extends forwardly and upwardly therefrom to a position infront ofthe open forward end of the magazine C. `The arm 102 carries atits upper end `a suitable plate 104 constituring a front end wall orclosure for a portion of the bag magazine. When in the position"shown inFigs. 2vr and 7, the plate 104 lies substantially in the plane o f theopen end of the bag magazine to support'the stack ofV bags therein.Gravity acting on the supply of bags in the magazine forces themdownwardlyY and forwardly into engagement with the inner face'of theplate r104. A lever 106 is also fixed to the rock shaft 98 and extendsdownwardly therefrom through a slot 108 in the bracket structure 62 andan aligned slot 110 in the top wall of the housing A. At its lower end,within the housing A, the lever 106 is pivoted to one end, of a link 112(Fig. 2) having a fork 114 at its other endembracing a portion of thecam shaft 16. The fork 114 is also provided with a cam follower 116engaging a cam groove in one face of a cam mounted on the-shaft 16. Thecam groove referred to is so configured that upon one rotation of thecam shaft, the lever 106 and rock shaft 98 are oscillated through asmall angle to move the plate 104 forwardly away from the bags in themagazine C, and immediately thereafter to return the plate 104 to theposition of Fig.v 2, which is the position it assumes whencam shaft 16is at rest after each cycle of operation.

A supporting lever 118 is pivoted, at 120, to a xed position of themachine frame within the housing'A and extends upwardly therefromthrough a slot 122 (see also Fig. 1) in the top wall of the housing A.At a position opposite the cam shaft 16, the lever 118 is provided witha lateral extension 124 having a cam follower 126 at its extremity inposition to engage a cam groove in the face of a cam (not identified) onthe cam shaft 1'6. A pair of rearwardly extending links 128 and 130 arepivoted on spaced axes at 132 and 134, respectively, to the upper endportion of the lever 118. The rearmost ends of the links 128 and 130,respectively, are pivoted to a gripper support bar 136 which carries aroller,138 at its upper end and a forward extension 140 intermediate itsends. The` extension 140 supports a suction gripper -142 to be describedin detail later.

A link 144 is pivoted at its upper end to thelink 130 rearwardly of thepivot 134 and extends downwardly CII through the slot 122 to a positionwithin the housing A where it is pivoted to one end of a rocklever 146which, in turn, is pivotally mounted, intermediate its ends,l on a.bracket 148 in the housing A. The other end of the rock lever 146carries a cam follower 150 engaging a cam groove in a face of a furthercam xed to the shaft 16.l

The cam grooves with which the cam followers 116 and 150 engage are soconfigured that, upon one complete revolution of the cam shaft 16, thelevers 118Yand 144 are actuated in timed relation to trstdraw thesuction gripper 142 forwardly from the frontend'o'f the magazine C andthen move that head` upwardly and forwardly along the inner portions ofthe chutes 152 secured to the hoppers 32 on the turret 30. Continuedrotation of the cam shaft 16 causes the head to move upwardly to anextreme upper position wherein roller 138 on the gripper support 136engages a trip lever 154 and to ythereafter move the gripper 142downwardly and rearwardly back to the position shown in Fig. 2 at theend of one complete` revolution of the shaft 16. d

The trip lever 154 is pivoted, at 156, to a bracket secured to the fixedplate 50 and is provided with an ad- I justing screw 1,58 and a triphead 160. The right hand portion of the trip lever 154 (Fig. 2) isheavier-,than the portion on the other side of pivot 156 so thatthe-lever is urged by gravity to move in a clockwise direction as seenin Fig 2. The screw 158 may be adjusted to predeterminev the position ofrest of the trip lever 154.

The pivoted closure plate 104 at the front of the magazineC, previouslydescribed, is periodically oscil lated by the` shaft 98 to moveawaypfrom the bags in the magazine. The cam yon shaft 16d-'actuatinglink 112 to oscillate shaft 98 is so configured and positioned invrelation te the cams `operating 'the followers 116 and drawn upwardly atthat time by the suction head"142,

relieves the foremost bagoi" the weight of the stack yof bags in themagazine 7and-thus facilitates its upward with# l i drawal. The ears atleast partially restrain the stack of bags in the magazine fromfollowing the plate 104.' The inner face of the plate 104 is preferablycovered with a suitable antifriction material such aspolytetrauoroethylene, commonly knownby the trade name Tetlon.i

If desired, 4the Teflon facing may consist of a pluralityof spacedvertical ribs to further reduce friction between the foremost bag andtheclosure 104. As clearly evident from Fig. 7, the closure 104 terminatesat its upper? end some distance below the upper portion of the magazinefront so that the suction head 142 may engage the f foremost bag abovethe closure 104. Upon withdrawal of the suction head 142 outwardly fromthe magazine? the upper side edges of the bag are rst pulled past the jinwardly extending-ears 90 and at about that time the closure104 movesVforwardly and then the bag is with# drawn upwardly by the mechanismalready described.

Referring now to Figs. 8- and 9, the suction gripper 142 comprises ahead having a chamber 162 therein and a vnipple 164 leaving therefrominto communication'with i 1.a tube 168 connected to a suitable source ofvacuum The application of vacuum to the chamf (not shown).

ber 162 is controlled by a valve `(not shown) operated by the cam shaft16 in timed relation to the cyclical movement of the gripper mechanism.The gripping face of the suction head 142 is provided with a pluralityof transverse grooves 170 and openings 172 extending from f the bottomsof the grooves into the chamber 162. The grooves 170 are relativelynarrow and extend substantially across the face of the gripper head. Theuppermost' transverse groove 174 is considerably wider than the fgrooves 170 and is provided with an inwardly inclined upper face 176.The parts are so positioned and adjusted that the upper groove 174 ofthe suction head 142 moves into contact with the outer face of the frontwall f of the foremost bag in magazine C a short distance below theuppermost edge of that front wall.

effect a tight grip on the front face of the bag whereas Upon theapplication of vacuum to the chamber 162, the grooves 170I vacuumapplied to the groove 174which is of substantialv f width, draws aportion of the bag wall downwardly into f the groove, as shown at 178.This drawing in of a portion' of the bag wall results in a partialfolding of the front wall A f 'of the bag along a line generallyparallel to its upper edge t and turning the upper edge portioninwardly'toward the rear wall182 of the bag. of thefront wall of thebag,

Because of the partial folding its uppermost edge is drawn downwardlyrelative to the uppermost edge of the rearrwall i 182 ofthe bag, leavinga portion of the inner surface ofthe rear wall of the bag exposedforwardly. As clearly evident from Fig.' 8, after the bag has beengrippediby the suction head and partially folded in the mannerdescribed, out-` ward movement of the suction headl 142 away from themagazineC causes the front wall of the bag to move),f outwardly awayfrom the rear wall and then draws the entire topl portion of the bagforwardly. The supporting.,

rails 88 of the magazine Care so adjusted that the top;

edges of the bag walls are level above the lowermost tip 184 of thechute 152 at the bag applying station (Fig. 8).

Upon` withdrawing .the

positioned at a predetermined bag forwardly from the magazine (to theright as viewed in Fig. 8) the exposed inner face of the upper edge.:portionofthe rear wall 182 engages the tip 184A of the chute 152 torestrain the rear wall against forward movement.' .Continued forwardmovement of the suction headv i142' a shortdistal"` separates thefrontand rear walls 7 0fith1bagand-3the cams are so, conguredrthatthe Suctionhad `therrbegins to, move upwardly to slip. the open end ofi-the bag`over the material guiding chute 152.

4` and 5 illustrate-the relationship of the Vparts during;the upwardmovement of the suction head 142.

o f the chutes is 4of generally U-shape in horizontalsection with theopen sidenfacing inwardly of the turret ofthe bag filling machina. theouter sides thereof presenting ar continuous outer surface.V Brackets186 (Fig. 1) of generally inverted Y-shape are secured to bosses 1:88 onthe outer sides of the hoppers 32 and pivotally supportgenerallyvUrShaped bag clamps 190 on horizontal' axes 192.at the lowerextremitiesof-the brackets 186;.` `The pivotaltsupportifor oneside ofeach clamp. lfextends through the corresponding leg of` its bracket1&6-.and;h.as ashort lever` 194 (see Figs. 4 and 5) lixed thereto and`extending in an Vupward direction. A link 196i is pivoted totheupper#extremity` of each lever 19.4

Cir

andextendsradially inwardly ofthe turret along .one side of itsassiatedfunnel and chute; YAt their inner-ends the 'links 196 are connected bymeans of: a ball and socket joint 19.8 (sc eFig. 3V). tofan end of. afurther lever 200, pivoted on a vertical axis 201 to the `associated arm3Q which supports .the hopper 32. A tension spring 202 isp anchored at`one end to the arm 34 and lat its other .end to the Vupper..extremity oflever 194` whereby the spring 202 .tends to move the, upper or bightvportion of` thalnag` clamp-190 inwardlyptothe adjacent surface of thechute 152. A latch 204 is pivoted to the bracket 186 and is .providedwith a detent shoulder 2.06 (Fig. 5,) and a downwardlyjextending innerextremity 208. A spring 210,.,S11iflably anchored in Vthebracket 18.6.,bears on the latch 204 to urge that latch downwardly. The link 196 isprovided adjacent its inner end with a laterally extend- `lng abutment212 below the lower edge of the latch 204 (see Fig. 6).

With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 4, the bag l clamp 190. isswung to its outer position against the tension ofspring 202 suicientlyto position the abutment 212 ontlink 1.97.6 outwardly of the. detentShoulder 206 on latch `204 and the latch is held downwardly by spring210 to hold its detent shoulder 206 behind the abutment 212 and hold thebag clamp 190 in retracted'position awayfrom the surface of chute 152.

A s the suction gripper 142 moves upwardly tothe posltionof Fig. 5, theroller 138 on the gripper support 136 engagestrip lever 154 and pivotsthe outer end of the sameupwardlyto the position of Fig. 5 when thevsuction-head 142Areaches its uppermost position. In this uppermostposition the -b'ag has been slipped over the.

chute 152` to the full desired extent. As the lever 154 approaches the`position otFig. 5 its trip head 160 en- Y.

gages-thehownwardly extendingend portion 208 of the latchj204 andswingsthe latch itself upwardly to remove detentshoulder- 206 fromV engagementwith abutment 212 -a-ndthus release the Vlink 196 and bag clamp 190` tothe; action of spring 202 whereupon the bag clamp 190 is swung to theposition of Fig. 5 to engage and securely clamp the rear wall of thebag' .against .the-outer *i face of thev 'chute 152. The suction`is"theneut-olf from tube '168 and `the suction head 142 continues itscyclic movement back to its starting position and releases trip lever154 to its normal position v(as shown inl-iig. 2) but :the lowermostedge of the latch2`04,4 inwardly of detent shoulder 206, merely drops`onto'the upper surface of'lthe abutment 212 and is ineffective torelease the bag clamp 190. l

Following application of a ybag to the chute 152 as describedlytheturretis indexed to successive stations where the` bag is lledand vibrated andultirnatelyyreaches the discharge station shown at the topu of Fig.` 3.`

The cam shaft`16 isprovided with a further actuating cam and `suitablelinkage (not shown) effective once during each cycle of operation tooscillate vertical shaft 8 22%0 Eig-s,l y1,A l3). extending upwardlythrough the upperl wpll; of housing A to a position adjacent the lever200.f (Fig 3.) at the bag discharging station. The shaft 220 carriesa.`release lever 222 fixed to its upper en d; and projecting laterallytherefrom lat the same level as. lever 200; Aseach chute 152 reaches thedischarge station with thev bag thereon in lled condition, the camshaft. 16 operates to rock shaft 220 in a clockwise direc tion as seenin Fig. 3l through a suicient angle to cause the lever- 222 thereon toengage projection 224 of lever 200, and swing lever 200 in la clockwisedirection about itspivot 2 01, and push link 19,6 outwardly to theposition of Fig. 4, The described outward movement of link 1946 results;in releasing bag clamp 190 and permitting t'no filled bag to drop fromthe c hute to a suitable receiving means and also. inovt-` abutment 212outwardly a :snticient distance for latch 204 to move downwardly topositi n; its shoulder? 20d-against the inner face of abutmentA `212 andthus-j latch the bag clampl 190 in its released posi on.

Rfelling nowparticularly to Figs. 2 and 3, the chutes 152 have beendescribed ofl generally U-shape in horizontal; section with the opensides facing inwardly of the.. turret. adjacent the juncture between thechutes and their associatedfhoppers 32,4 a transverse shaft 226 isjournalled to; extend- Yacrossthe open side of each chute 152 and fixedto that shaft between the sides of the chute is a bag` spreader member22.3.` A suitable torsion spring 23.0. (Fig. 3j). surrounds a portion ofthe shaft 226 outside theV chute` 152 and: bears at one end against anarm 232 txedto and extending inwardly from one end of the shaft2265ltheother end of the spring 230 being anchored toa por'tionof the, hopper32. The spring 230 normally rocks the shaft 226.. and bag spreader 228counterclockwise as seen at the left. side of Fig. 2 to the positionVshown there wherein the lower end of the spreader is swung inwardlytoward the center of the turret to engage theinnepface of Vthe innerwall of a bag on the chute 152a'nd, to spreadtheopen end of the bag tofully open condition,y The spreader` 228 is in the form of a plateextending` substantially all the way across the open side ofi chute152andthus assists in guiding material from hopper 32 intol the openend ota bags The arm 232 fixed to. the shaft 2,265` yand against which thespring 230 acts, is provided with` a downwardlydirected terminal portion23.4 tseealseligs.. 421.11515). l The Stationary plate 50;.ofthemachineis provided; with a cam plate 2,36 fixed` toits lower edge;andI extending radially-outwardly at the has applyingstatien in Positionto engage the downwardlyezttendingterminal portion 2,34 of the arm 232to swing theshaft 2,26 ounterclockwise as seen at the right hand sideKofl Fig. 2 to 'swing the spreader inwardly of the sides of chute 1452`to the position. shown in Fig. 4. In this inner position the spreader228 does not interfere with application of a. bag to the chute. Asstated, the cam plate 236 is positioned at the bag applying station andVmay extend to, the bag release station shown. at the top; of Fig. 3 butterminates immediately below the bag applying station as viewed in Fig.3p Thus, when the,

oflstationary plate .50 extends upwardly above the uppcredge yofthevibrator 28 throughout certain of;v the stationsfofthetmachine.`Those stations are the bag release station shownatfthe top of Fig. 3and the next three stations `shown inthat figure extending clockwisefrom the A t the upper ends of the chutes 152 and` bag releasingstation. In other words,'the hoppers 32vand l chutes 152 are notvibrated at the releasing station and vibration is not imparted theretountil the hopperA has passed through the bag filling station' and thestation limmediately thereafter. After the hoppers pass the stationimmediately following the bag applying station, they enter the bagfilling station shown at the bottom of Fig.

3 and prior to reaching that station, the rollers 36 move 0E the cam 52and are lowered to the undulating periphery of the vibrator disc 26.Since that disc rotates constantly, the hoppers and chutes arevertically vibrated while positioned at the filling station and atstations subsequent thereto. As best shown in Fig. 3, each arm 34 isprovided, on the side opposite its spreader actuating arm 232, with afixedrod 240 extending toward the adjacent arm 34 and over the arm 232associated with the spreader onthat adjacent arm. The hopper 32 at thefilling station and the hopper immediately in advance thereof (not shownin Fig. 3') are, therefore, both kbeing vibrated by the vibrator 28 and,as previously described, adjacent hoppers Yvibrate vertically inout-of-phase relation. The arms 232 on spreader shafts 226 and the rods240 are so related that an arm carrying a rod 240 is moving downwardlyat the same time an adjacent hopper is moving upwardly so that the rod240 engages arm 232 to oscillate the spreader actuated thereby through asmall angle and Vto permit return of the spreader on the. second half ofthe cycle of vibration. In this manner the spreaders 228 are Vibrated inoscillation about the axes of their shafts 226 to impart vibration tothe walls of the bags being filled to assist in settling materialalready deposited or being deposited therein. Each of the hoppers 32 isvibrated vertically by vibrator 28 and their spreaders are vibrated inoscillation throughout the entire time a hopper is at the fillingstation and in transit between stations from the filling station to thestation immediately in advance of the discharge station shown at the topof Fig. 3, thus assuring proper settling of all material in the bag.

Referring now to Fig. 2, a hood 242 of generally spherical configurationis provided with a central hub 20.14 supported by bearings 246 on anupward extension 243 of the turret drive shaft 46. The upper end of thedrive shaft extension 248 bears against the inner surface of the hood242 to provide a vertical support therefor while the r bearings 246maintain the hood in centralized position over the turret and inpredetermined vertical position. An.

air bafe 250 is secured to bosses-252 on the hood 242 and closelyoverlies the upper openends of the hoppers 'y 32 at the bag applyingstation and at the station immediatelythereafter (see Fig. 3). A blower254 driven by a motor 256 is mounted on the baie 25@ immediately over ahopper at the station between the bag filling station and the bagapplying station and is arranged to direct air de- T; livered by theblower downwardly through the baie 256 into a hopper therebelow tobillow and fully expand the bag mounted on the associated chute- 3152.The outlet of the blower 254 at the billowing station is connected by apassageway 258, formed in the baffle 250,with the space above the hopper32 at the 'bag applying station. It will ybe recognized that airdelivered by the blower into a bag at the billowingstation will developsome back pressure at the discharge of the blower 254 and that backpressure causes some of the air to travel along passageway 258 into thehopper atthe bag applying station and downwardly through its 'associatedchute 152. This rather gentle stream of air at the bag applying stationassists the suction gripper 142 in opening and applying ay bag to thechutes at the bag applyingY station. A` bracket 260 (Fig. 3) is fixed tothe batlle 250 and extends outwardly therefrom to an upstanding brace orrodi262 (see alsoFig. l) to which it is secured. T he rod or brace 262is-fixed to the upper wall of the housing A and, through its attachmentto ,bracket 269, lbattle 250 and hood 242, acts to retain hood tact withthe vibrator 28 or the cam flange 52, as the case 242 against rotationwith turret drive shaft 46 and thereby concentrically about the axisofthe turret outwardly of j the chutes 152 and somewhat therebelow. Asthe blast of air is directed into a bagclamped to a chute 152 at thebillowing station, its pressure tends to swing the bag outwardly aboutan axis defined by the point of engagement of the bag clamp 190 and thebag. The function of the guide rod 264 is to prevent such swingingmovement and maintain the bag being billowed against such outwardmovement and in the desired position on its chute.

A star wheel 266 is rotatably mounted on the hood 242 and its legs enterand are driven by the hoppers 32 as the turret rotates to'insure passageof all material deposited is fullyand completely described in Patent No.2,691,476. Y

The turret hub 30 is further provided with cantilever springs 268 (seeFigs. 2 and 3) fixed thereto and extending over and bearing on portionsof the arms 34. The springs 268 thus act to resiliently maintain therollers 36 in conmay be.

tended to be used in combination with a suitable weighing or measuringmachine arranged to weigh or measure a predetermined quantity ofmaterial and to sequentially deliver weighed quantities to the hopper 32at the bag filling station of the present machine. The solenoidpreviously described as controlling operation of the l-revolution clutchon cam shaft 16 may be under the control of the weighing or measuringmachine so that completion of a weighing cycle and delivery of a weighedor measured quantity of material to a hopper 32 at the bag fillingstation results in actuation of the solenoid to engage the lrevolutionclutch for a single cycle of operation. During a single rotation of thecam shaft 16, each hopper 32 is moved one step forward to the nextsucceeding station. As the bags are filled they are vibrated andconducted past the star wheel 266 to insure movement of all the weighedmaterial into the bag. As each filled bag reaches the bag releasestation, the shaft 220 is operated, as previously described, to releasethe bag clamp 190 and permit the filled bag to drop from the chute 152at that station `into or onto a suitable receiving means and at the samenext station, the associated bag expander 228 is with- A drawn by theaction of cam 236 and the hopper is thereafter moved to the bag fillingstation during the succeeding indexing step. After reaching the bagfilling station, continuation of the same cycle of operation of camshaft 16 causes suction to be applied to gripper 142 and causes the bagapplying mechanism to withdraw a bag from magazine C, in the mannerdescribed, and apply that kbag to the chute 152, in the mannerdescribed. Thereafter the chute carrying the applied bag is positionedat the billowing station where its bag is blown to fully open conditionand the chute is thereafter moved to the filling station.

While a single specific embodiment of this invention has been shown anddescribed herein, it is to be underA` applying station; a bag applyingmember at said station and having means thereon for gripping one wall ofa bag, said bag applying member being mounted for movement along apredetermined `path at said station to slip theopen end of a bag grippedthereby-over the open end of said chute, clamping means movably mountedon vsaid chute for clampingfa. bagberatersaidfelampinarueans beinsirl`retracted position, and t clamp agtuatoll means Ires to movementofsaidmember to bagapplying-poslf actuate said clampingmeans to`l-ba'gfclamping positien.

2. Amachinetasdefined in claimA 1 ,wherein said,Clamp,-`

ing` means reomprise: afclamp element mounted Qu- Seid..r

chute for movement Atoward and` from an t externalsurface thereon,resilient means urging said clamp element toward, said surface to `clampthe wall ofa bag,therebetween,and latch means holding-` said clamp`element,retractedfrom.`

n lease alled bag from said chute.

4. A machine fas defined in claim 2 wherein said chutes are sequentiallymoved through a bag releasing station before `being positioned at saidbag applying station, and release means at said bag releasing stationfor moving said clamp element away from said surface to thereby releasea filled bag from said chute and to 'activate said latch means tothereafter hold said clamp in retracted` position.

5. A machine as defined in claim 2fwherein said clampY actuator meanscomprises a member movably mounted on said machine at said bag applyingstation, a portion thereof, being engageable with said latch means torelease the same when said clamp Iactuator means is moved by said bagapplying member. Y

6. In a bag applying machine wherein openLended, downwardly directedmaterial guiding chutes are sequentially positioned at a bag applyingstation; means holding a supply of attened open-ended bags at saidstation with the open `ends thereof uppermost and closely adjacent thelowermost end of a chute at said station, al gripper adapted to grip theouter wall of the` foremostbag of said supply adjacent the open endfthereof, said gripper including means for partially folding the outerWall of said bag to move the upper edge thereof downwardly whileVleaving the rear wall of said bagprojecting upwardly thereabove, andmeansV mounting said gripper for movement to with-V draw a gripped bagfrom said supply and move the same along such a path as to engage theinner face of said upwardly projecting wall with one side of the lowerend of a chute `at said station and then upwardly to position said bagaround said chute.

7. A machine as defined in claim 6 wherein said gripper comprises asuction head having suction-.responsive means thereon for partiallyfolding said outer wall.

8. A machine as defined in claim 6 wherein said means for partiallyfolding said outer wall is arranged to draw a portion thereof, adjacentsaid upper edge, away from said rear wall and to partially foldtsaidportion to `direct the upper edge of said outer wall toward the innerface of said rear wall.

9. In bag handling Iapparatus wherein successive bag holding devices aresequentially moved through a bag applying station and a bagbillowingtstation, means at said bag applyingstation for removing aflattened bag from a supply and for at least partially opening saidvbagand applying it to a bag holding device, means at said bag billowingstation for directing a stream of air into a partially opened bag on aholding device at said billowing station for billowing said bag to fullyopen condition, and means for diverting a portion of said" stream of airfrom said billowing station to said applying station .to assistAinlpartially opening a bag being applied to the holding device at saidapplying station.

l0. In a bag applying and. filling` machine, indexing means forsupporting and sequentially moving successive bag holding devicesthrough a plurality of stations including a bag applying anda bagfilling station, said bagholdina. denses.. web.; maintiens],adownvardlyf' extending. chute of; generally lli-Sherwinherzontalectien and.. adapted. t0 extend `into the mouthl Orf-a. has.meansfsr.;

clampingabag wall against theouterjface ofthe,cldsed n sideof saidchute, a bag expander piv'otedte said cliutefY and arranged tofswing toa position` withinsaidchutev or tion for relatively4 rapidly means atsaid bag filling sta oscillating said expander through a small angleabout itsL pivot to vibrate the walls of :a bag `on its associatedholding device. i

l1. A machine as definedin claim 10 wherein saidlbag holding devicesvare mountedon said indexing means Vfor independent vertical vibration,said shaking means comprising means for vertically vibrating said bag,holding devices in out-of-phase relation, and cooperating means on the.bag holding device at said filling station vand an adja-` cent -bagholding device for oscillating the exp-ander at said filling station inresponse to said out-of-phase vibration of saidbag holding devices.

12,. In a bag applying and filling machine, a rotatable turret,circumferentially spaced bag holding devices mounted for vibration onsaid turret, indexingmeansfor rotating said turret to successivelyposition said bag holdingdevices at each of a plurality of stations,means at one of'said stations for cyclically removing bagsfrom asupplyand applying said bags to a bag holding device at said onestation, a cam shaft,- cam means on said'shaftf for operating said bagapplying means, said indexingmeanscomprising a Geneva drive drivenbysaid'carnA shaft, power means, continuously operating means, driven bysaid power means, for continuously vibrating saidbag` holding devices atcertain of said stations, andmeans, including a one-revolution clutch,for driving said cam shaft from said power means wherebysaidturretindexing means and bag applying means may be` selectivelyAoperated through one cycle of operation.

13. In a method of opening a tiattened -openendedi' bag for insertiontherein of a bag holder, tlie'steps of;`

gripping a portion of the `front wall of a flattened bagin a zoneadjacent but spaced from the open enduthereof,

drawing the gripped -portion away fromthe rearfv-wallfwhile folding thatportion-between the grippedportionand the open end inwardly toward therear wallttdndrawthe open end edge of said front wall. inwardly. ofandfto` expose the inner face of the corresponding edge portion of -therear wall, moving said bag to engage said exposed inner face of the rearwall with an end portion ofv thebag holder, and drawingthe gripped frontwall ofzsaid. bag away from said rear wallto open said bag.

14. In a method of opening a flattened open-ended bag for insertionthereinA of a bag holder, thevstepsfof; applying vacuum to a limitedarea of the outer face of the front wall of said bag, adjacent to butspaced from the open end thereof, to draw said area of said front wallaway from the rear wall of said bag, and holdinga portion of said frontwall, between said` area and said open end, against movement away fromsaid rear wall whereby the portion of said front wall between said area`and` said open end is folded toward saidrear wall and exposes the` innerface of the open end edge thereof, moving said bag to engage saidexposed face with an end portion of the bag holder, and drawing thefront wall of saidbag away from said rear wall to open said bag. i

15. In ay bag applying machinerhaving a` bag Vholding member therein; abaslapplyins member havngmeas over an end of said bag holding member,clamping means movably mounted on said bag holding member for clamping abag thereto, said clamping means being in retracted position, and clampactuator means responsive to move ment of said bag applying member tobag-applying position to actuate said clamping means to bag clampingposition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS PetreaOct. 12, 1954 Malldow June 19, 1956 Kendseth et al. July 3, 1956

